Anyone tried a rope crosspull

[No_Angel]

im looking into options again for my cob. hes a strong boy, but i dont want to hurt him. since i wont be riding for a while and i might not be riding him for a while after as i seem to send him loopy and i need him safe for my mum to ride.
i was wondering about the rope crosspull. i rode him once in a rope halter and he was fine, but im not sure the brakes would be there for hacking and fun riding, the brakes only seem to be a german hackamore with a chain over the nose at the moment, but i just have a feeling that he is running through the pressure.

[Yann]

I remember a thread a while back about a rope crosspull, I didn't like the look of it at all as the rope was very thin which would make it quite severe. I don't know how well an all rope crosspull would release either, which is essential to keep a horse responsive.

[No_Angel]

im thinking of adding a rope crosspull nose to his existing bridle, either running a piece of rope thru the browband and over his head, or add buckles and buckle it to my double headpiece (one of those with the throatlash that buckles both sides).
i like the look of the be nice halter, for the thickness of the rope. if i can find a cheap one on ebay i might modify it.

[hackedoff]

NA- I have a rope sidepull hanging around (single rope type) that is too severe for my Dr Cook ridden cob. Any use to you?

[No_Angel]

like this one hackedoff?

http://www.horseandharmony.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=15_76&products_id=236

[Yann]

Thats just a normal rope training halter with added loops to attach the reins to isn't it?

Regarding the Be Nice, it's quite a severe bit of kit and I wouldn't personally try adapting one to riding in. If you really have a bad control problem then it's a cliche but you need to work on the schooling rather than upping the ante all the time. It's no different to doing the same thing with more and more severe bits, you'll end up with nowhere left to go.

[No_Angel]

ive already upped the bits, and ran out of options :rolleyes:
and its for hacking i need the brakes, both on his own and in company.
im not sure it can be sorted with schooling, i can do canter to halt without reins on him, be goes nicely off the leg and slows using seat aids, hes not unschooled, its just hes a bloody big bugger and tends to run past the horse in front, then realise that horse has slowed, and he stops, he has quite a stop (which the schooling has helped :p ) as last time he stopped without notice in the school i was catapulted off and broke my collar bone.
i need something he respects, which he seems to which he seems to with the hackamore with a chain nose, but he snorts and shakes his head when i take up a contact to slow him, which to me this means hes saying he isnt happy.

[hackedoff]

NA- like this- http://www.bigbendsaddlery.com/sidepull.html A or B type on the page.

[No_Angel]

aahhh- i like that! how much would you want for it? you can pm me if you would prefer :D

[hackedoff]

have pm'ed you :)

[cvb]

NA- I have a rope sidepull hanging around (single rope type) that is too severe for my Dr Cook ridden cob. Any use to you?

hackedoff - curious why it was too severe ?

You know me - I have a leather sidepull, bosal, rope half-bosal, natural hackamore.... but am still getting my head around the Dr Cook.

[No_Angel]

cvb, i recieved the bridle this morning and the rope on the noseband is very stiff, so i think it would give a very solid cue when asking for a downwards transition. im not sure how my dr cook ridden mare would take to it, ive had to up to combination noseband as a make shift hackamore, as everything else seems to be too much for her, but the dr cook rubs her terribly when she gets excited.

[cvb]

the rope on the noseband is very stiff, so i think it would give a very solid cue when asking for a downwards transition

aha... this style of bridle comes from western riding, so is aiming for ultra-light contact and response. As such you would aim not to be using quite such a solid cue ;)

but of course you need to train that rather than it just "being there".

Harry H put me on to some "old style" hackamore/bosal books which talk a bit about this and it does refer to a "soft" bosal as part of the training. I've not worked out quite what the author means, but am using Lodge Ropes half-bosal as my equivalent ! This is partly to not inflict "user error" on my long suffering mare ;)

As I said, my sidepull is leather so still not "floppy" but is padded and quite broad. Plus on a sidepull the reins are either side, rather than under the chin on a bosal or half-bosal. So I think the leather version will spread the pressure over a slightly larger area and a slightly "wider" pull and hence be slightly less "solid" ;)

[No_Angel]

yes i use a leather sidepull on my section a (its actually a dr cook noseband) but its a lot more flexible and alot wider than this rope, so will spread the pressure more.

[hackedoff]

cvb- my cob just backed off from it even when I rode on the buckle. He is 100% a Dr Cook boy I dont need more brakes (normally) I was just playing around with it in accordance with the spirit of trying out wacky tack that prevails at my yard!
na- have you tried it?

[No_Angel]

i havent tried it yet, was going to last night but my mom and dad disappeared and they are my only transport at the moment as i cant drive with the shoulder. i shall try and get up tonight so my mom can ride him in it.